Movable auxiliary hopper

Abstract

A movably mounted auxiliary hopper and a platform therefor are provided for discharging small articles contained in the container to a cooperably associated dispensing hopper mounted on the platform, the dispensing hopper being adapted to feed articles in an oriented position to a cooperably associated chute directed to a receiving station. The auxiliary hopper comprises a container having bottom, side and end walls and an open top for receiving a charge of small articles therein, the container being adapted to provide gravity flow of the articles to a discharge end of the container. A U-shaped trough extends from the discharge end of the container and which communicates with the interior of the container. A pair of legs is pivotally mounted to one side of the container and a complementary pair pivotally mounted on the other side thereof, the legs of the container extending to and being pivotally connected to the platform, such that the container forming the movable auxiliary hopper is capable of being moved to an upper position for discharging articles to the dispensing hopper and to a lower accessible position for charging articles to or to remove residual articles from the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. The combination of a movably mounted auxiliary hopper a cooperably associated dispensing hopper, and a platform therefor for discharging small articles contained in said auxiliary hopper to said dispensing hopper said dispensing hopper being mounted on said platform and adapted to feed said articles in an oriented position to a cooperably associated chute inclined downwardly to a receiving station, said auxiliary hopper comprising a container having bottom, side and end walls and an open top for receiving a charge of small articles therein, said container being adapted to provide gravity flow of said articles by demand to a discharge end of said container,     a U-shaped trough extending from the discharge end of the container and communicating with the interior of said container,   a pair of legs pivotally mounted to one side of said container and a complementary pair pivotally mounted on the other side thereof, and locking means disposed on each side of said container cooperably associated with said mounted legs for lockingly supporting said container in one or another of two home positions,   said legs extending to and being pivotally connected to said platform, such that the container is capable of being moved to an upper position for discharging articles to said dispensing hopper and to a lower accessible home position for charging articles to or to remove residual articles from said container.   
     
     
       2. The movably mounted auxiliary hopper of claim 1, wherein each side wall of the container has a mounting plate pivotally mounted by a pin at one end on each of said side walls and mounted at its other end by a removable locking pin, said legs of said container being pivotally mounted to said mounting plate, such that when the locking pin is in place, the movably mounted auxiliary hopper is capable of assuming one home position and when the locking pin is disconnected, it is capable of assuming another home position.   
     
     
       3. The movably mounted auxiliary hopper of claim 1, including means for moving said auxiliary hopper from a home position to a discharge position and back to home position, and means to aid in the gravity flow of small articles from the auxiliary hopper to said cooperably associated dispensing hopper. 
     
     
       4. The combination of a movably mounted auxiliary hopper, a cooperably associated dispensing hopper, and a platform therefor for discharging small articles contained in said auxiliary hopper to said dispensing hopper said dispensing hopper being mounted on said platform and adapted to feed said articles in an oriented position to a cooperably associated chute inclined down to a receiving station, said auxiliary hopper comprising a container having bottom, side and end walls and an open top for receiving a charge of small articles therein, said bottom being downwardly sloped to aid in the gravity flow of said articles to a discharge end of said container,     a U-shaped trough extending from the discharge end of the container and communicating with the interior of said container,   a mounting plate on each side of said side walls, each of said mounting plates being pivotally mounted by a pin at one end thereof to said side wall and mounted at the other end by a locking pin,     a pair of legs pivotally mounted to one side of said container via said mounting plate and a complementary pair pivotally mounted to the other side via said other mounting plate,   said legs extending to and being pivotally connected to said platform, such that the container is capable of being moved to an upper position for discharging articles to said dispensing hopper and to a lower accessible home position for charging articles to or to remove residual articles from said container,   said container being capable of assuming one home position when both pins of said mounting plate are in place and another home position when said locking pin is disconnected.   
     
     
       5. The movably mounted auxiliary hopper of claim 4, including means for moving said auxiliary hopper from a home position to a discharge position and back to home position. 
     
     
       6. The movably mounted auxiliary hopper of claim 4, including means on said hopper to further aid in the gravity flow of said small articles to said dispensing hopper.